Palaces on the Prairie
Released: Jan 01, 2009
Publisher: North Dakota State University Press
Format: Hardcover, 260 pages
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Description:
Palaces on the Prairie takes you on a journey through the past to experience the hope, struggle, victory and sometimes defeat of Midwestern communities - large and small - as they fought to survive the difficult times during the late 1800s and early 1900s. After being promised paradise, many settlers were surprised to find their situation so difficult, but eventually they realized that perhaps railroad officials and land agents had fibbed a bit about the waiting Garden of Eden. By that time, of course, there was nothing to do but turn the liars into prophets
One of the fascinating ways community leaders went about that daunting task was to construct palaces - some gigantic, others more modest - decorated with the grains or minerals that would best promote the businesses and products of their region. This book tells the story behind 34 of those palaces built in 24 towns and cities throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, and Texas. Some were short-lived while others stood for years, but all provided excitement and a sense of accomplishment for those involved.
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